Home Home
Help
Sign Up
LT → French, Italian → Léo Ferré → Paris Canaille → English
  • Léo Ferré

    Léo Ferré

    Paris Canaille → English translation→ English

✕
Favorites
Share
Font Size
Translation
Add French (Original)
Swap languages

Roguish Paris

Click to see the original lyrics (French)
Paris a pimp
in the eyes of a girl
your trickster air
your old rags
and your cries
an accordion
that doesn't pay the bills
but it's mighty fine
Your gigolos
undress you
in the subway station
of Bastille
to get drunk
on your petticoat
makes one want to scream
but it's mighty fine
 
Lilac sprigs
paper flowers1
that's loads
of little street girls
that work wonders
in every season
taking us for a ride
and it's mighty fine
Dédée the cross
Bébert of Antwerp 2
it's been months
they've been doing fine
well these ladies
are coming to terms
with becoming bigamous
and it's mighty fine
 
Paris a bandit
with nimble hands
you got no friends
with the police
under your blouse
of neon
you're no sage
but it's mighty fine
Holdup experts
for the record
pull ups
for tactics
the slightest
sound
puts your change away
otherwise it's fine
 
There there one
there there two
toss me three fivers
and I'll see you with a kinder eye
Up to the minute
breaking news
you're in hot water
but it's mighty fine
there there latest
there there nothing
you're a gangster
after peanuts
you must be skillful
to hit the mark
the next time
perhaps you'll do fine
 
Paris you sing
with a gray voice
along the streets
"I'm drunk"
There's no hope
in your rags
only the sidewalk
but it's mighty fine
Your vagabonds
are making scenes at you
but under your bridges
the Seine is flowing
when it comes to romance
there are crowds
fools for your magic
but it's mighty fine
 
Misled kids
in the suburbs
a paved prairie
where love grows
it grows even
at home
they were wrong
but it's mighty fine
Lost expressions
in the gutter
where the street goes
like a boat
that's rocking a bit
during steering
it's laborious
but it's mighty fine
 
Paris I've deep
in my heart of stone
an open account
of good manners
hats-off
on occasion
whatever it takes
but it's mighty fine
The companies
too unlimited
a member of parliament
who is esteemed
a small model
in the making
it isn't about the hand-kissing
but it's mighty fine
 
Here comes the money
look here how flashy
a blow of cheapness
and gentleman
a checkbook
without cover
he has to make do
but it's mighty fine
A small suburb
Saint Honoré
three cookies
and I'm gone
surprise party
surprise we stay
it's surprising
but it's mighty fine
Fanfarish Paris
you've a partying soul
and millions
as your poets
Some pennies
for my song
that rhymes
and is mighty fine
 
  • 1. Origami flowers named after a Parisian suburb
  • 2. Dédée d'Anvers is a 1948 drama about a prostitute in Antwerp directed by Yves Allégret
Original lyrics

Paris Canaille

Click to see the original lyrics (French)

✕
Please help to translate "Paris Canaille"
French → Russian shamild7
Collections with "Paris Canaille"
1.Songs about Paris Vol. 1
Léo Ferré: Top 3
1.Avec le tempsSubtitles
2.La mémoire et la mer
3.C'est extra
Idioms from "Paris Canaille"
1.Dans le coup
2.In hot water
3.un cœur de pierre
Comments
YmdeithyddYmdeithydd    Wed, 10/02/2021 - 10:56

I like this! Isn't 'traction avant' 'front-wheel drive', a 'voix grise' ' tipsy voice', and a 'coup de rabais' a lowering of the price, or a discount? And doesn't 'faubourg St-Honoré' meant to refer to the district of that name? All just questions of idiom though.

↑↓